Most viewers of BBC staples such as Pointless are over 55

Alexander Armstrong presents Pointless, one of the BBC’s most popular shows struggling to attract young viewersIAN WEST/PA

Older people now make up 80 per cent of the audience of popular BBC shows such as Songs of Praise, Bargain Hunt and Pointless, as the corporation struggles to attract young viewers.

Over-55s accounted for 63 per cent of all BBC One viewing last year, up from 52 per cent in 2010, even though this age group represents 31 per cent of the UK population. The “alarming” ageing profile poses an “existential threat” to the BBC and other public service broadcasters, according to a report by media experts Enders Analysis.

Older people have traditionally watched more television than younger generations as they tend to have more free time, but the Enders study reveals the rate at which this trend is accelerating. The BBC programmes with…

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